Appearing in "Fang and Claw!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Ani-Mator (Dr. Animus) (First appearance)
- The Ani-Mates
- The Right (Mentioned)
- Cameron Hodge (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "Fang and Claw!"
Dani, Rahne, Illyana, Doug, and Sam follow Bird Brain to his home, where they immediately get surrounded by angry anthropormphic animals akin to Bird Brain. Meanwhile, in a facility on the island, the Ani-Mator is working with his animal experiments when he learns that the New Mutants have landed on the island. He proclaims that Bird Brain has sinned by bringing humans to paradise and that Cameron Hodge and the Right cannot interfere. He announces that the New Mutants must be brought to him as they will make excellent genetic specimens. On the surface, Doug tries speaking to them as Dani projects their greatest desire from their minds, which happens to be food just like Bird Brain wanted.
Back at the Mansion, Roberto and Warlock finally return from their adventures with the Fallen Angels late at night and accidentally set off the alarm, awaking Magneto. Magneto is both very grateful to see them back and also extremely upset that they are gone. Warlock goes to greet the others, but finds the rest of the New Mutants missing.
On the island, the animals aren't happy to see humans and claim that they are evil subjugators, but like Rahne because she is part animal also. Before Rahne can convince them that they mean no harm, an alarm rings that brings the animal-people away. Bird Brain explains that the bell means that food is coming if they can survive the trials, which are done by the Ani-Mator to see who lives or dies. Bird Brain declares that he has to go through the maze and stop the Ani-Mator to free all the Ani-Mates, the people like Bird Brain, and the New Mutants agree to help, feeling invincible thanks to their powers. However, they are attacked at the center of the maze by giant Ani-Mates controlled by the Ani-Mator, and all of the New Mutants end up captured.
They are brought before all the Ani-Mates where the Ani-Mator tells Bird Brain that he heard he had a name, but when Bird Brain replies with his name, the Ani-Mator freaks out, shouting that Bird Brain isn't worthy of a name as to have a name, he must know evil, which only humans do, and he is no human. He shouts that this was told in the Bible where man earned name when he ate the apple, but Rahne claps back that eating the apple gave humans knowledge of good and evil and that the ability to choose makes someone human, and Bird Brain has that choice. However, the Ani-Mator simply states that Ani-Mates should never choose and that they will all be sentenced to death for allowing strangers onto the island, making the New Mutants realize that their heroic efforts only made things worse. The Ani-Mator then strips Bird Brain of his outfit as he doesn't deserve it, ordering them all destroyed.
Continued next issue...